1. Field
The invention relates generally to wall panels, and more particularly to: methods of fastening a wall panel to a wall; kits; and wall assemblies.
2. Related Art
One wall assembly includes ornamental trim between adjacent wall panels to improve the aesthetic appearance of regions between such adjacent wall panels. For example, some such ornamental trim may be plastic, or may be held in a plastic receiver mounted to the wall. In either case, the ornamental trim generally has insufficient structural strength to fasten the wall panels to the wall, and such a wall assembly generally requires fasteners such as screws through the wall panels and in the wall to fasten the wall panels to the wall. However, generally fasteners such as screws disadvantageously do not permit thermal expansion or contraction of the wall panels without causing buckling, oil-canning, or other damage to the wall panels. Further, screwing in screws through a wall panel while holding the wall panel in place against a wall is generally cumbersome and time-consuming.
Some wall assemblies include wall panels that are mounted to a wall and sealed in an effort to form a moisture barrier to keep moisture from accumulating in the wall panels, in a space between the wall panels and the wall, in the wall, or in a combination thereof. However, such moisture barriers may trap moisture, and such trapped moisture may disadvantageously cause damage to the wall panels, to the wall, or to both.
Therefore, other wall assemblies include vents or other openings to a space between wall panels and a wall to prevent trapping moisture in that space. For example, one known wall assembly permits water to flow downward under gravitational force in a space between a wall panel and a wall. An upper surface of ornamental trim below a bottom edge of the wall panel may slope downwards away from the wall to permit water from the space between the wall panel and the wall to flow downward over that surface under gravitational force away from the wall, thereby avoiding accumulation of water near the bottom edge of the wall panel. However, such ornamental trim is generally incapable of fastening the wall panel to the wall because the downwardly sloped upper surface of the ornamental trim includes no surface that could retain the wall panel against the wall.
Another wall assembly includes a channel member secured to a wall, a clamping channel member having co-planar flanges, and securing elements such as metal clips that secure the clamping channel member to the channel member secured to the wall. In such a wall assembly, the co-planar flanges of the clamping channel member may overlie and engage areas of outer faces of panel members to clamp the panel members to the channel member secured to the wall. However, the securing elements would disadvantageously be visible from an exterior of the wall unless concealed, and therefore such a wall assembly may include a strip receivable in the channel of the clamping channel member to conceal the securing elements. However, such a strip disadvantageously increases cost and complexity of such a wall assembly.